Lost but Not Forgotten Forgotten but Not Lost
by OutOfDate
Summary: [ChloeKirika Femslash] The Soldats are after Noir as the pair seeks refuge with former adversaries . . . or former friends. [This chapter: Finally a way back to Paris!]
1. They're after Noir!

**Author's Note**: This is written after I watched the first 4 DVDs, so I'm not sure of anything that happens afterwards. This is just a way I would like the story to play out. Also, I hope the characters aren't too OOC. Mireille is rather bitchy, but that'll be explained later, and Kirika's talkative, which will also be explained. I am unsure about how to write for Chloe or Althena, as they haven't been in the show much at this point. 

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**Lost but not Forgotten - Forgotten but not Lost  
Chapter 1 - They're After Noir!**

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The manor seemed so cold and empty to Chloe. How long had it seemed like this? Years. Since she disappeared, the manor had been that much less of a home to Chloe, and more of a monument to what Chloe had lost. But what is lost must one day be found.

* * *

"That was tougher than I thought it would be." Mireille Bouquet sighed, drinking the tea her partner had made for her.  
  
"He had more guards than expected." Kirika pointed out quietly something Mireille had already known.  
  
"Business is picking up, which is good," the blonde went on, checking job offers on her computer, "But we're still no closer to finding the Soldats."  
  
"Mireille, what about that woman, Chi-"  
  
"No." Mireille cut her off, "No." Mireille did not like the mysterious woman who called herself Chloe, the True Noir. Something. Something about her was so different, so familiar. Something wasn't right, "We will do this alone. For all we know she is working for the Soldats."

* * *

_pop_  
  
Mireille clenched her teeth in frustration. _Why didn't anything go smoothly anymore? This job was supposed to be easy enough, a diplomat whose rival for office had wished to make his odds a little more favorable by eliminating his opponent. Time and time again however Noir's prey had hired a small army of armed guards. It's almost as though they knew we were coming! But who would have known?_ A grim realization played across the assassin's face. _Her.  
_  
_poppoppop  
  
Where was Kirika?_ The bullets continued to graze the wall near Mireille's head as she frantically devised a plan. The body of a gun-for-hire guard at her feet was still warm as she struggled to lift him. Gun in hand she twirled around the corner, throwing away the body into the line of enemy fire and emptying a clip into the four men at the end of the hall. The gunfire ceased and Mireille reloaded her pistol with a seemingly loud click. A small noise prompted her to whirl around, gun raised, "I think," Mireille commented to the young girl behind her, lowering her gun," That someone's been tipping off our targets."  
  
Kirika nodded once and whispered, "The True Noir."  
  
"Yes?" The soft voice caused both assassins to turn, guns raised. What Mireille saw as she looked down her gun barrel prompted an unintentional barely audible growl.  
  
"You!" Mireille half shouted, half growled, "What are you doing here?"  
  
Chloe smirked and closed her eyes, "I came to warn you," opening her eyes she instantly took on a gravely serious demeanor, "You are in grave danger; I am unsure as to whether or not even I could escape from your situation."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Mireille demanded.  
  
"The Soldats." Kirika ventured a quiet guess.  
  
"Yes," Chloe responded, "The Soldats have set you in their sights, you are their priority one."  
  
"How do you know--" Mireille began.  
  
"I can help you," Chloe smiled softly; "I can take you to a place the Soldats would not dare to strike."  
  
"How do we know you are not working for the Soldats? You could be leading us into a trap." Mireille commented coldly.  
  
"I am not leading you into a trap," Chloe said quietly, "You have to trust me. If you value your lives you will be on the noon TGV to Monaco."  
  
"Hey!" Mireille braced her pistol as the mysterious young woman turned and walked away.  
  
"Mireille," Kirika murmured, "somehow she knows about the Soldats and she knows about Noir. We should take the opportunity to speak with her."  
  
"But we can't trust her," Mireille grated her teeth.  
  
"We didn't know she was there. She's had plenty of opportunities to kill us but hasn't," Kirika pointed out, "She's our only link to the Soldats. We should take advantage of this chance."  
  
_A link,_ Mireille thought, _a link to the past. But why her? Why that woman?_ Mireille turned to her young partner to see the girl staring into the darkness after the woman who had deemed herself the True Noir. Mireille frowned, "So, who is she?"  
  
Kirika turned a blank look towards Mireille, "I don't know."  
  
"You sure seem adamant about going to see her. Feeling chatty this evening? I've never seen you talk this much. Why do you want to see her so badly?" Mireille demanded.  
  
"I . . . don't know." Kirika responded slowly.

* * *

"We're going into a trap, I know it," Mireille grumbled as she watched the scenery speed by the bullet train, "And what are we supposed to do when we get to Monaco? She never told us any directions."  
  
"Mireille, look," Kirika whispered, pointing at a public TV which was broadcasting the news.  
  
". . . and in local news a fire ravaged an apartment building in central Paris this morning. Andre Bochardt has the story . . . Thank you, Christine. I'm standing in central Paris and behind me is the remains of a building that was gutted by fire in just less than two hours. The owner of the building tells us that miraculously none of the residents were in the building at the time. The police are investigating the cause of the fire as well as why it spread so quickly. They are not ruling out arson and say there are currently no suspects. Now back to you in the studio, Christine . . ."  
  
"M-My apartment!" Mireille gasped.  
  
"I guess she was right. We probably would have been killed in that fire," Kirika observed, "But I would not think the Soldats would be an organization that committed arson. It is a very dirty way to kill."  
  
"Well, she could have just told us to go to the market or somewhere! Why are we going to Monaco?" Mireille growled. This was not her day.  
  
"The Soldats are after us," Kirika stated, "And they will keep coming. She is taking us somewhere safe."  
  
"But why? Why is she risking the Soldats finding her just to save us? There must be an explanation. It must be a trap," Mireille grumbled.  
  
"Kirika Yuumura?" A steward asked tentatively as he stood in the aisle, "You have a telephone call, mademoiselle, if you would please follow me to the front of the car?"  
  
"I'm coming too," Mireille insisted, following the steward and her partner. They were led into a small room the size of a bathroom stall where a phone lay off the hook on a small table. The steward left them and closed the door. Marching over to the phone Mireille jabbed the speaker button, "Who is this?"  
  
"I don't recall calling you," Chloe's voice was soft but taunting, "Would you open her mail, too?"  
  
"Why, did you send something?" Mireille retorted.  
  
"Why do you guard her so? Do you love her?" Chloe shot back jeeringly.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Mireille hissed, taking obvious offense as she slammed the phone onto the receiver, ending the call, "How dare she?" she muttered under her breath.  
  
The phone rang again and Kirika pressed the speaker button, "Hello?"  
  
"The Lady Luck. Room 7459. 7 PM." The phone clicked as Chloe hung up.  
  
"Well," Mireille sighed through barred teeth, calm down, "At least we know what to do when we get there."

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**Author's Notes:** Don't forget to reveiew, y'all! Hope y'all like it so far. .


	2. Ah, the Manor!

**Author's Notes: **Ah, another chapter. Let's get on with it! Don't forget to review.

**

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**Lost but Not Forgotten - Forgotten but Not Lost  
Chapter 2 - Ah, the Manor!**

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The Lady Luck was a trashy hotel that had once been the pride of the city in its prime. The years of wear and the outdated attractions had taken their toll however and the tired old hotel seemed desolate. "Hmmm . . . this looks like the perfect place for a trap," Mireille observed icily as she and Kirika entered the abandoned hotel and started climbing the stairs. The two women reached their destination and knocked on the door, guns drawn.  
  
"Seventh hour . . . twelfth minute . . . you're late," Chloe pointed out as she stepped out of the room, "I was about to leave."  
  
"There was traffic and we couldn't get a taxi," Kirika explained politely, "Sorry."  
  
"No worries," Chloe smiled and an astonished Mireille was reminded of a child who's every wish had just come true. The mysterious assassin who Mireille had hated and to some point feared was now a giddy-looking girl who was smiling at . . . Kirika.  
  
_Why? Why does it make me so angry when she's around Kirika?_ Mireille thought, _it's because she's dangerous. If something happens to Kirika then this pilgrimage to the past will end and I, I'll never know-- But it's not like she needs my protection. Then why am I so protective of her? It's not like I--  
_  
"Mireille?" Kirika asked, "Mireille, what's wrong?"  
  
"Oh, um, nothing. I was just thinking," Mireille hadn't realized Kirika was trying to get her attention while she attempted to sort out her thoughts.  
  
"Follow me," Chloe beckoned from near the stairs, "We have to leave now."

* * *

"How much further are we going? Are you just planning on walking around until the Soldats get tired of searching?" Mireille complained.  
  
"Not much further," Chloe called back.  
  
Mireille grunted her displeasure. From the hotel they had jumped into a cargo car of a passing train and had ridden until dawn. They had abandoned the rail car finding themselves in a small town. Though Mireille had wished to rest at a local inn Chloe had insisted they press on. The noon sun now beat down on Mireille's shoulders as she walked alongside Kirika a good thirty feet behind Chloe so that she could keep a good eye on the mysterious assassin. They had been walking the same dirt road for hours and Mireille's energy was almost spent.  
  
"You are tired," Chloe pointed out, stopping and waiting for the two to catch up. She turned and faced Mireille, "We can rest here."  
  
"You must be very hot in that," Kirika ventured as the three women sat at the edge of the road between a dry ditch and the field of a vineyard.  
  
"Hmm . . ." Chloe nodded but showed no intention of taking off her cloak though sweat dripped off her hair and down her face. Kirika surmised that the cloak was even heavier than it looked.  
  
"I could carry it for you . . . it you want," she offered politely.  
  
"No. Thank you, though," Chloe smiled softly, "This cape is very . . . very special to me."  
  
"Special enough to die of heat stroke for?" Mireille scoffed.  
  
Chloe did not her or did not choose to respond, "It's almost noon. We should keep going if we expect to make it to lunch on time."  
  
"You wouldn't happen to want to tell us where we're going here in the middle of nowhere, would you?" Mireille pressed as she dragged herself to her feet, "I see nothing here but vineyards and dirt."  
  
"Just over that hill over there," Chloe cocked her head in the direction of a small knoll ahead, "Not much farther."  
  
As the trio arrived at the crest of the hill and looked down on their destination Mireille couldn't help but be perplexed. _This? This is the place where we'll be safe from the Soldats? We came all the way for this? There's nothing here but a ruined old plantation house_. She turned to Chloe, "Hey, what's the big-- huh?" Chloe was already halfway to the ruins as she ran pell-mell for the old building, her cloak billowing out behind her. Kirika had begun to follow her slowly down the hill and Mireille joined the young girl, "I don't like this. That girl led us to ruins in the middle of nowhere. Why? There's another reason we were brought here, not just the Soldats. I can feel it; I just know what it is yet. Be on your guard."  
  
"Yes, but," Kirika began and paused, then finished, "never mind."  
  
"What is it? Do you know something?" Mireille pressed.  
  
"No, it's just . . ." The younger woman seemed to struggle to choose the right words, "There's something about her. She kills without compassion, but she seems like a child the very next minute. She's innocent in her heart. I don't think she wants to hurt us. That she brought us here for a reason other than protection I have no doubt, but I do not see malice in her eyes."  
  
Mireille turned a cold look toward Kirika, "You seem awfully perceptive all of a sudden. Pretty talkative, too. Is there something I should know?" _What am I saying? I don't even know what I'm thinking about. I just know that Kirika's changing. Everything's changing and it seems to be changing for the worse. When we started on this pilgrimage, things changed but she was always the same. Always quiet, always there. But now even Kirika is changing and it's all because of her. Why should that stranger have such an impact on that girl's 'shell' when I have never had the slightest effect? Why do I care? Why does it bother me so much, dammit?!_  
  
"Welcome home, my darling Chloe," a soft caring voice lifted Mireille from her thoughts. The three assassins stood in what was once the estate's courtyard facing a lovely, motherly looking woman who smiled back at them, "I see that you have accomplished your task, seemingly without mishap," she turned toward Mireille and Kirika, "I am glad that you both arrived safely. I am Althena. I am sure that you are very tired of your journey. Please follow me, I will take you to your rooms so that you may bathe and rest before lunch." And with that she turned and headed towards the ruined manor. As she opened the door Mireille was surprised to see that what looked like a derelict shamble on the outside as actually a spacious, well kept, though sparsely furnished house and the chandeliers and grand staircase make it worthy of the name manor. Althena led them silently up the staircase and into a small back hall. "Miss Bouquet, correct?" Althena turned her head toward Mireille and when she nodded continued, opening the first door to her left, "This will be your room, and Kirika, you will stay here," she opened the door across the hall, "For the time being." Taking note of the every oddity, it irked Mireille that this woman believed she was on a first name basis with Kirika. _For the time being? What was that supposed to mean?_  
  
_This is really rubbing me the wrong way,_ Mireille thought, _I do not like being in the dark and I can tell that this Althena knows something she's not telling us. And what part does she play in this? How does she know Chloe?  
_  
"On account of your late arrival lunch will be delayed today. Chloe will show you down in two hours," Althena informed them, "Until them please rest and make yourselves at home. If your bathwater is cold please call for Chloe," she turned and walked back down the stairs leaving the three younger women in the hall.  
  
"I will see you in two hours then," Chloe smiled and retreated into the second room on the right before Mireille could grill her with questions. Mireille turned to her partner who shrugged and walked into her designated room.

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The room was much larger and more luxurious that the room she had shared with Mireille in Paris and Kirika felt so small spread out on the large four-poster bed with velvet hangings and silk sheets._ I wish I could live in a place like this,_ Kirika thought dreamily,_ I wish I could take long baths like that one and sleep in this huge bed. I wonder if Mireille would consider moving to a big house now that ours has burned down. I hope Mireille is alright. She seems so mad lately. She's mad at Chloe. Why? Did Chloe do something to her? I know that she's far from above suspicion, but she knows about Noir and the Soldats, so she could probably tell us a lot, and she did save us from the Soldats. I won't say I trust her, but there's just something about her . . .  
_  
"Yes?" Kirika called in response to the light tap on her door.  
  
"You can come down for lunch now," Chloe called from the other side of the door.  
  
Kirika reluctantly rose from the comfort of the bed and stepped into the hall. A rather disgruntled-looking Mireille stared her down and judging by Mireille's still dirty, sweat-streaked face and clothes Kirika surmised that her partner had thought it safer not to bathe and probably thought it imprudent that Kirika had. Kirika turned her gaze to Chloe who had obviously taken to opportunity to bathe. Her magenta hair clung in wet strands to the side of her face and the assassin had shed her long cloak revealing a skin-tight black outfit most would consider skimpy. Seeing her figure unshielded by the cloak Kirika was surprised to see how frail and small she actually seemed. It also occurred to Kirika that Chloe was actually very young, perhaps even younger than herself.  
  
Mireille seemed to have been struck by the same thought as she sarcastically asked, "Just how old are you?"  
  
"As old as my bones and a little older that my teeth," Chloe retorted quickly, then turned and started toward the staircase, "Follow me, please. Althena will be waiting for us."  
  
Looking rather put out Mireille followed her with Kirika in tow. From the entrance to the Manor they moved through a study on the first floor into a small but elegant dining hall. Four chairs sat around a large oak table, one of which was occupied by Althena who sat patiently awaiting the younger women.  
  
_I've never seen so much food!_ Kirika thought as she gazed at the food-laden table. There was everything she could ever want to eat. _Yes, I definitely want to live like this._  
  
"Please, have a seat," Althena beckoned to the two empty seats as Chloe sat to her left. Kirika claimed the seat to Althena's right and Mireille sat across from the older woman.  
  
"Miss Bouquet, was there a problem with your bath water?" Althena inquired politely after a generic prayer was said and the meal began, "I heated it before you arrived, I hope it wasn't too cold."  
  
"Mine was lovely," Kirika smiled.  
  
"I didn't feel like bathing," Mireille grumbled.  
  
"You heated the water? Do you not having running water?" Kirika asked, trying to think back on her bath. Come to think of it, there wasn't a tap.  
  
"No, we don't. There is no electricity or running water here, either. I hope it is not too much of an inconvenience for you. I have found that an absence of basic convenience fosters perseverance. I am glad that you enjoyed your bath. It's not often that we use the bath tubs; it is such a hassle to carry in and heat the water."  
  
"Why did you bring us all the way out here? How did you know the Soldats were after us?" Mireille pressed Althena.  
  
"I sent Chloe to get you because you were in danger. I have friends in the Soldats who warned me that Noir would soon come under fire, so to speak," Althena smiled a bit, "Why they would target you now I do not know," she explained, "You are here because this is the safest place for you to be. Under my watch the Soldats have never struck here."  
  
"Why would they strike here if we weren't here?" Mireille retorted, "We're their prime target so they will come now! We're just bait for them, what makes you think you can stop them?" Mireille raved. Was this woman dense?  
  
"You can trust Althena," Chloe pointed out as though trusting this mysterious and rather bizarre woman was the most natural thing in the world.  
  
"Maybe you don't understand who the Soldats are," Mireille said stonily, "If they wish us dead you won't be able to stop them. I highly doubt they are frightened of a senile woman who seems fresh out of the local convent, or of a little girl with a few throwing knives."  
  
Chloe let out a sort of snarl and began to stand, grabbing a butter knife near her plate, ready to take her and Althena's defense before the older woman's hand on her shoulder bade her to sit back down.  
  
"Though I hope you will stay, you are welcome to leave at any time you wish. There is no doubt in my mind that you will receive the greatest protection here, but if you wish to leave you know the way back to town," Althena stood up and started toward the door opposite the one they had come in, "Now if you will excuse me I have a letter to write. Chloe, I will be with you when I have finished."  
  
"Oh, yes," Chloe smiled.

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**Author's Note:** Woo-hoo! Thus concludes the second chapter! . Review! 


	3. Revelations Abound!

**Author's Notes:** OMG! An update! I never thought I'd see the day. Ha-ha, I've mostly just been working on my site, so I've been kind of busy. I've also been reading Noir: The Name of An Ancient What? and dying of laughter. If you haven't read it, read it now! . So great! I demand updatage!  
  
Anyways, on with the story!

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**Lost But Not Forgotten - Forgotten But Not Lost  
Chapter 3 - Revelations Abound!**

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"And I thought Chloe was trouble," Mireille mused, sitting on her bed and sighing. She and Kirika had retreated to the Corsican's room where the younger girl had taken a position staring out the window at the grapes vines stretching into the distance, "That woman, Althena, she's got 'suspicious' written all over her. I just wish I knew what on Earth was going on. This woman obviously has connections with the Soldats. She probably works for them. But what's her motive? Why not just kill us? There's something especially twisted going on here."  
  
"Hmm." Kirika sighed, not really paying attention.  
  
"K-Kirika, this is a problem! Why aren't you listening?" Mireille demanded.  
  
"Oh, I-I'm sorry." Kirika turned to face Mireille, her expression blank.  
  
"That's it. Something's got you acting even odder than usual and you're going to tell me what it is," Mireille said firmly, sitting at a nearby table and beginning to drum her fingers.  
  
"Uh . . . I don't know," Kirika said quietly, turning back to the window, "Since I lost my memory I've always felt out of place, like I didn't belong, but since we've come here, I feel a little more . . . I don't know, at home, I guess. Like this is where I should be."  
  
"Here!?" Mireille's eye twitched with annoyance, "You feel 'at home' HERE, of all places? This god-forsaken primitive heap of rubble and two women who should be COMMITTED make you feel at home!?"  
  
Kirika stood up, a tear in her eye as she stared at the floor and began to march for the door, "I don't expect you to understand," she said quietly, firmly, "Which is why I didn't tell you." With that she closed the door behind her and began walking slowly down a hall, not knowing where exactly she was going. --- 'Why is Kirika acting like this?' Mireille demanded to know, as if from deep within her mind she would find some sort of an answer. The girl had stormed out; well, not really stormed, but the strong and rare emotions emanating from the girl had struck Mireille at her soul. She had been gone a good 10 minutes before Mireille became aware that the girl had indeed left. 'Why does she care so much about this place? Why do this place and those freaks make her feel more at home than my apartment or I, ever did?'  
  
"WHY DOES THAT BOTHER ME?!" Mireille shouted to her room, dying to know the answer; dying to know that the answer was not what she thought.  
  
'Because she means that much to me,' Mireille admitted submissively, 'Because I love her. I guess I knew already . . . I found her perplexing and intriguing when we first met, and as we persevered through so much, as I watched her, I became attached. I guess . . . I guess I just never wanted to admit it. I've never liked a girl before . . . but I've never met a girl like her before.'  
  
Mireille rose from her seat, shaking a bit with her first few steps, and left her room, knocking on Kirika's door. There was no answer. When Mireille opened the door and found it empty she grabbed her gun and went to find, and if need be, rescue, her friend . . . her love. --- Kirika walked down the dark hall, her only light being cast by the moon falling through occasional slats in the wall, throwing a ghostly silver light on stone and old portraits of prominent looking people. She had been walking for nearly an hour, slowly meandering through the halls, but never finding a dead end or closed door. 'It's like I know this place,' she thought to herself, and stifled an unwanted sob, 'but why? I want to know why!'  
  
Kirika looked up. At long last she had come to a closed door. This door . . . she knew this door. It was hazy, but she knew this, remembered it. The large oak door had appeared once before in her dreams since she had been living with the Daughter of Corsica, but she knew . . . she felt she knew it from a time before that. With no hesitation the young woman reached for the doorknob and twisted it slowly, pushing the door open.  
  
"Kirika, can I help you with something?" Althena smiled up at the girl. The room was small; there was a desk at which the older woman sat, writing with a quill pen by candlelight. It was both serene and surreal to Kirika, who just stood silently. After a moment Althena set her quill down, "You can come in if you'd like."  
  
"Oh, yes," Kirika stepped in, shaking her head, and closed the door behind her. Althena sat smiling at her for a moment, "I-uh . . . was just wandering. I . . . I'm sorry if I interrupted you."  
  
"Not at all, I was just finishing," Althena smiled softly, as she folded the letter and began dripping red wax onto it for the seal, "This letter is very important, so Chloe will be leaving in the morning to deliver it for me. I hope that your room is satisfactory."  
  
"Oh, yes, it's very nice." Kirika nodded, sitting on one of two stools near the desk.  
  
"Hmm . . ." Althena pressed a seal into the wax and stood up. "I should go give this to Chloe, would you like to walk with me?"  
  
Kirika nodded and after blowing out the candle the two women left and began trekking the corridors side-by-side.  
  
"A-Althena?" Kirika ventured quietly after a few moments of walking silently beside the older woman. When the woman nodded that she was listening she continued, "I, I feel like I've . . . like I've been here before. But I don't remember anything. Did you . . . I mean, do you . . . do you know me?"  
  
The older woman turned to look at the questioning girl and smiled, giving a slight nod, "When I was very young I learned of the story of Noir. I saw the . . . potential in the legend and strived to become a part of it, not as an actual member, as much as a facilitator. Sixteen years ago, after I had come to live here, a man brought me two children, blessed by a high priest, who had the potential to become Noir. Both, apparently, were orphaned. I named one of them Kirika, for her Japanese heritage. The other I named Chloe," Althena sighed and smiled once again at the intently listening Kirika, "You could not have been more than 3 when you arrived here, Chloe couldn't have been over a year, still in infancy. I had no idea how to raise assassins. I tried my best, and that seems to have been sufficient, don't you agree?" She chuckled a bit, "You and Chloe were the perfect team, an elite force, always in sync with each other, as if you were closer than any two humans could be. Which you seemed to be. You grew up together, and became a part of each other, in a sense. When you left the Manor for a mission and you never returned . . . Chloe was bedridden for a year. She was so stricken with depression that at a point it appeared that she would die. But then . . . then word came that a girl named Kirika Yuumura had surfaced in Japan," Althena's voice lifted from its remorseful tone, "Chloe was ecstatic. After a quick recovery she immediately left for Japan, only to return with news that you no long remembered anything. She vowed that she would seek vengeance on whoever did this to you, and one day help you to regain your memories . . . it's been very hard for her."  
  
After several moments of silence Kirika turned away from Althena, "I, I'm sorry to have put her through such pain. I - I still don't remember," She stifled a sob.  
  
Althena wrapped her arm around Kirika as they walked in silence, "But now, now you know. And you can begin rebuilding your life."

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**Author's Notes:** Well then! Mysteries revealed! What's left to be said?! PLENTY! Althena's ever-so mysterious, isn't she? Also, what will Mireille say when she finally confronts Kirika about her feelings? What will happen when Kirika comes face to face with Chloe after this revelation? I'll update soon, promise! ;D Review! 


	4. Confrontations and Complications!

**Author's Note:** Woo-hoo! Updatage! As a price, you all must update your fics as well. :P Anyways, here goes, hope you enjoy!

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**Lost but Not Forgotten - Forgotten but Not Lost  
Chapter 4 - Confrontations and Complications**

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_Where is she?_ Mireille whined silently, _I've been looking for her for over an hour! This house is huge. God, why did she have to go wander off like that? And now I really need to talk to her. I am so lost; I don't know this house at all. She's probably lost, too. Oh, great, here again._ Mireille leaned against the wall of the foyer, having found that she had once again gone in a large circle. What was that now, the fourth time she had found herself here since beginning her search? _Well, if Kirika is having the same luck in navigation I am then she'll come here eventually. I'll just wait._

As soon as she began making herself as comfortable as possible in an old wooden armchair footsteps could be heard coming down a corridor nearby. Mireille sat up straight and called for her partner, "Kirika, is that you?"

"No," Chloe's quiet voice informed her and Mireille wondered if the mocking tone was actually to be found in the girl's voice or if it were merely her mind . . . her jealousy, "I don't know where she is. Isn't she with you?" There it was. That was definitely meant to cut Mireille.

Mireille bit back her words and clenched her fists, _this stupid little girl's comments won't get to me now, and I have more important things to do right now. I have to talk to Kirika. Where is she going now? _Mireille listened to the younger assassin's footsteps retreat down the corridor a ways before calling, "What is it?"

"Pardon me?" Chloe inquired, stopping.

"What is it? What do you mean to her? Why does she look at you like she's never looked at me? Why does she feel so much better when you're around? WHAT IS IT!?" Mireille's voice cracked, tears streaming down her face, "Why is it you?!"

After a long pause Chloe began to leave Mireille again, calling back before she was too far away, "Kirika and I are . . . most special."

* * *

Kirika had been silent as she and Althena had walked back to her room where Althena had parted to go off to another part of the manor, most likely to find Chloe. Now Kirika sat silently on the large bed, the moonlight casting a cold light across Kirika's face. _I, I belong here. This is where I was raised, where I should be. This is my . . . home. I don't understand. This place, it feels different from anywhere else, like there is something that causes me to recognize it as my home, but it doesn't feel like my home. I still feel so out of place . . . There's still something missing._

Instinct caused Kirika to move like lightning, drawing her gun and pointing it directly into the face of the intruder. She had been sleeping and it was just now, as the light breathing raised her from her slumber, that she realized that Chloe had come in and fallen asleep on the fainting couch near the large bed. The sun was rising, but Chloe was sleeping soundly, wrapped in her cloak, her large boots on the floor. Kirika blinked, trying to adjust her eyes to the bit of light flowing in through the window. _I didn't even hear her come in. I didn't even realize I had fallen asleep. Have I been crying? _She rubbed around her eyes, which felt dry and tight, as though they had recently been wet.

She slowly stood up, stretching fully while trying not to wake the sleeping girl on the couch. As she turned for the door she realized she hadn't succeeded. "You were crying in your sleep," came the soft, and concerned, voice from behind her, "I've never seen someone cry when they were asleep before. Are you alright?"

Kirika didn't turn to face the girl. She was supposed to be "closer than any two humans could be" with this girl, but she couldn't even face her old friend. She didn't remember, and she knew that, had she been in Chloe's position, she would be incredibly hurt to not be remembered. She nodded, "I'm fine."

"I'm sorry," Chloe said slowly. In the silence that followed Kirika turned a questioning glance toward the girl who had begun putting her shoes on, "I only came in here to check on you, and I must have fallen asleep." Chloe rose and pushed past Kirika, stepping into a hall and disappearing down a corridor.

_Then why weren't you wearing your shoes, _Kirika thought dryly, following the girl a few moments later.

* * *

Mireille was sitting at the large table laden with several different breakfast foods. Althena was there as well and both sat in perfect silence, _Egh, I couldn't find Kirika at all last night. I hope she gets here soon. Sitting with this woman is so uncomfortable. How can she just sit there like that? Just . . . smiling. She's senile. And where's Chloe? What did she mean 'most special?' Was that supposed to be some sort of an insult?_

The double doors to the dining area opened slightly allowing Kirika entrance. The young girl closed the doors behind her and nodded to Mireille and Althena, "Good morning," before taking her seat.

"Good morning," they both responded.

"Chloe will not be joining us this morning," Althena explained her protég's absence, "She has left to deliver an important message for me and will be arriving home tomorrow evening."

_Good, _Mireille thought, relieved_, now she won't get in the way of my talking to Kirika. This is my chance._

The breakfast was short and as they finished and rose from the table Mireille began to ask Kirika to walk with her but was quickly cut off by Kirika, "Do you need any help with these dishes," the girl asked Althena politely, shyly.

Althena smiled and shook her head slightly, "No, thank you, I have a small group of servants who handle the cooking and dishes."

Mireille breathed a sigh of relief, "So, Kirika, could we talk?" she motioned toward the door, indicating she wanted privacy.

"Uh . . . oh, yes," Kirika responded, walking out of the room in front of Mireille.

They walked along a wide corridor flooded with morning light in silence, merely walking side by side for nearly an hour.

_Oh god, how do I say it? _Mireille demanded of herself as she walked_, how do I tell someone how much they mean to me, when they mean this much? I've never done something like this before. But I have to say something . . . but what? I can't just walk along in silence like this, but what do I say to her? Do I just say it? What else would I say?_

"Mireille?" Kirika's inquiring voice brought Mireille out of her questioning thoughts. The girl was looking up at the older assassin, her face showing no emotion, waiting, "Did you want to talk about something?"

"Oh, yeah . . ." Mireille said slowly, nervously. She stopped walking and Kirika followed suit, "I, um, I'm sorry if I was harsh. Last night I mean. I guess I just wasn't thinking straight," _I guess a lot of things aren't straight about me these days, _Mireille smirked, "It's just, since we've met that Chloe girl you've changed a lot and it . . . it bothers me."

"Bothers you?" Kirika repeated, showing no emotion in her voice.

"I, well, you see, I've never felt like this before. This is hard for me," Mireille forced out of herself, "I, I feel strongly for you Kirika," Mireille blushed. Finally it was out in the open. She stood a moment, lacking the courage to look at her partner, to see the girl's face and what was shown there. She took a deep breath and turned to see her partner looking away from her, _Oh God, what must she think of me now, _"Kirika?"

"I think you're a very good friend, too, Mireille," Kirika smiled slightly, sincerely at Mireille.

Mireille blanched, _what? That's not what I meant! Ugh, I should have known you wouldn't have understood. Ugh, you infuriate me, Kirika! What am I supposed to say now?! _Mireille thought angrily. She sighed, _Why me? I guess I should have seen it coming. Kirika doesn't seem very knowledgeable in the subject of emotion . . . or human interaction in general. _Mireille let out a slight chuckle and smiled, "Come on, I want to explore this house," she beckoned to her partner, deciding to explain a thing or two to her young friend later.

Chloe was glad this mission was only to deliver a message, glad that it was so short. She smiled to herself, _and when I go home . . . she will be waiting for me. Just like I waited for her, she will be there. Her friend will be there, too, _Chloe's expression became bland once again, _and she's there right now, with her. They're together. _The young assassin's fist tightened, crumpling the letter she had come to this dark, deserted courtyard in a Berlin slum to deliver, _She does not deserve to call herself my partner's partner. She does not deserve to call herself Noir. Her work is shoddy and substandard at best. She cannot do her job the way Kirika can, with such grace and—here we go._

A sleek black car rolled up to the curb nearby and two men stepped out. One lit up a cigarette and turned to the other, "Nice night, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is, but this cold night air has got my joints aching," the other responded, signaling that he was indeed Chloe's contact.

She stepped from the shadows and both men attempted to hide their shock as she emerged so nearby when they had not known where she was, "From the Soldats," Chloe said softly, handing the letter to the man.

He took the letter and opened it up, scanning it quickly. Satisfied that it was indeed the letter his boss had been expecting the man bowed slightly and retreated back into the car; handing the letter to the remaining man who read it carefully. After a moment he glanced at Chloe, "Your mistress seems to think my sect has some sort of a vendetta against Noir," he accused, "You can tell her that I have no intention of harming her pets," He chuckled a bit and lit the letter on fire with his cigarette, watching it burn in the black night, "After all, if I really wanted to kill any of you . . ." Chloe heard a small click of a gun being cocked from inside the car and held the knife in her left hand a bit tighter, "I could have done so this evening, could I not have?"

Chloe merely stared . . . glared. She did not have time for a fight, she wished to return to her home. To her. The man scoffed and climbed into the car which promptly drove away.

* * *

**Author's Note:** A man in a car?! Don't tell me there will actually be a plot in one of my stories! Gasp! I'm scared. Hold me. :( . Anyways, I'll update ASAP, and please review! 


	5. Like it was Yesterday

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the long wait. As promised, however, that-fan updated his/her Noir fic and so I will update mine. Chloe/Kirika goodness all around. . There's a good bit of dreaming in this chapter, so I'm doing my best to distinguish that so you know what's up. I know this chapter's short but it's 4 AM, I'm out of soda, and I really need to work on my Slayers Xellos/Filia fic.

As always, REVIEW! . And e-mail me at if you have any questions/comments.

* * *

**Lost but not Forgotten - Forgotten but not Lost  
Chapter 5 – Like it Was Yesterday . . .**

* * *

_Chloe awoke with a start, jolting upright in her bed. Or, as upright as she could get before her head collided with another solid object._

_"Ouch," Kirika sat on the floor where she had landed, rubbing her own forehead._

_"I-I'm sorry," Chloe stuttered, getting out of the bed, rubbing her own head, "Are you okay?"_

_"Of course," Kirika smiled and took Chloe's offered hand, rising to her feet, "Why are you still asleep, it's nearly mid-morning."_

_Chloe rubbed her eyes with her sleeve and looked toward the window where the sun was shining brightly through, "I guess I just slept in. Is Althena angry?"_

_Kirika shook her head and took her friend's hand, towing her down the stairs and out into the bright light._

Chloe's eyes opened slowly and she sat up in her bed. She sighed softly, her mind attempting to grab hold of the bits of the dream which still remained in her memory. Why couldn't things be like that anymore? Why did Kirika have to forget? Why couldn't she come back and everything would be just like it used to be? A single tear snuck out of the young assassin's eye as she fell back into a troubled sleep.

_"Althena, when are we going home?" Chloe tugged at the older woman's sleeve and whispered her inquiry, trying not to disturb the men talking amongst themselves at the other end of the room._

_"Patience, Chloe, good things come to those who wait," Althena chided, taking the young girl's hand in her own and walking towards the men at the other end of the room._

Yes, good things,_ Chloe smiled,_ When we get back Kirika will be there and we will go on more missions. I wish she could have come on this one. I miss her already. I want to go back to the Manor and see her.

The young girl kicked in her bed and rolled over, attempting to find reprieve from her restless sleep, but it would not come.

_"Kirika!" Chloe called as soon as they entered the Manor. Althena hung her traveling coat on a coat rack nearby as Chloe dashed up the stairs, seeking her best friend, her other half, "Kirika, we're home! Where are you? . . ." She wasn't in the East wing. "Kirika!?" Not in the West wing. "**Kirika**?!" Not in her room._

"KIRIKA!?" Chloe screamed, jolting awake, her heart racing, her breath ragged. After a moment Chloe wiped the sweat from her brow and slumped her shoulders.

"Are you alright?" The soft voice came from the other side of the door, "Did you call?"

_Kirika? She must have heard me_, Chloe chewed her lip for a moment, mulling over whether to invite the other girl in or not, "I, I'm fine. You must have been dreaming," she called back faintly and fell back onto her pillow. It was several moments before Chloe heard her old friend's footsteps retreat from her door back to her own room. Chloe smiled slightly, _She was always so worried about me._

Her smile slowly slipped away as she remembered the dream that had caused her to cry out for the girl, _I still don't even know what happened. If only I knew what happened, maybe I could help you remember, Kirika. Maybe I could make it so we could be together again._

_

* * *

_

Mireille squinted at the overhanging of her bed. She'd heard Chloe arrive a few hours before, after everyone else had fallen asleep. She'd heard the assassin stop at Kirika's door a moment before passing on down the corridor. The Corsican had contemplating giving the girl a piece of her mind then and there, but had withdrawn. What on earth would she have said?

After several hours had passed and she had finally found sleep she had been awoken by a cry, the girl calling out for _her_ friend, _her_ love. Mireille chewed a bit on her thumbnail, _And Kirika went to her. And she stood outside Chloe's door. Like Chloe had stood outside of hers. God, I've known Kirika longer that Chloe has, why are they like that?! I wonder, if I had cried out for her like that, would she have come to my door? Would she have even cared?_

_Oh, come on, you're being melodramatic, _Mireille scolded herself, _It doesn't matter who's door she goes to in the middle of the night because when this is all over she's coming back home to Paris with me. This Chloe girl is just some minor distraction. Kirika is a very kind person, naturally she's worried if such a _young child, _a_** girl**_, screams. There's nothing odd about it._

* * *

**Author's Note:** REVIEW! (The more reviews, the sooner the update.)


	6. Chapter Six Makes It's Appearance!

**Author's Note:** Wow! Here goes again! There's a bit of a semi-adult situation in this one, but I didn't think it elevated it past PG, but if I'm wrong just say so. It'll get more . . . graphic later on in the story, but gotta start out slow, right? Hehe . . . indeed it will.

* * *

**Lost but not Forgotten - Forgotten but not Lost  
Chapter 6 - Untitled (Anyone got any ideas?)**

* * *

"I trust that everything went well," Althena smiled down at her young protégé while she wrote a letter, the younger girl sitting on one of the two stools, watching.

Chloe was silent for a moment before responding, "He says that he has to desire to harm Noir."

"I see," Althena nodded slowly, then turned back to her letters.

Several minutes passed before Chloe tentatively asked, "Am I to deliver those as well?"

The older woman shook her head slowly, "I can see you wish to stay. I will send others with these."

Chloe nodded, "Thank you."

As the girl rose and exited the room Althena sighed, _my darling Chloe, I hope that you will help your love find her place, but I fear that troubling circumstances will soon arise. I only hope that you can overcome them and fulfill your sublime destiny. I hope that all goes well for you, that you will not be disappointed. However, I fear that I will feel the pain of false hope._

* * *

Chloe lay back on her pillow, still tired after her restless sleep the night before. Althena had granted her a sort of vacation from her duties. _She knows I wish to spend time with Kirika, _the girl smiled and blushed into her pillow at the thought of the assassin, of how she had come to her door the night before. After a moment she turned her head to the side, _Perhaps, soon, Kirika, you will share this bed with me like you had before, _her face turning a deep shade of crimson Chloe smiled at the empty half of the large bed where her partner used to sleep.

_"Are you awake?" The soft voice whispered into Chloe's ear from the darkness._

_"Yes," the girl replied, "I am. No, don't, someone will hear," Chloe warned as Kirika moved closer to the girl as they lay in bed, placing her lips on Chloe's ear, then her neck in a series of very soft kisses._

_"No one's around," the other teenager whispered into her ear, "No one will hear."_

_Quietly Chloe surrendered, though not all that unhappily, to her lover as Kirika pulled the younger girl closer._

* * *

_I wonder where Chloe is, _Kirika thought mildly as she wandered through the ruins of the manor, _she called for me last night, and I know it. Was she dreaming? About what? . . . About something I can't even remember, _she leaned against a crumbling pillar, sighing dejectedly, _I need to do something. To remember._

"Kirika!"

"Huh?" the girl turned to see Mireille stepping around a crumbling wall.

"So this is where you've been," Mireille leaned against the pillar next to Kirika, smiling, trying to keep her cool and appear nonchalant"You weren't at breakfast; I was wondering if you'd gotten lost or something."

"Uh, no," Kirika looked out across the vineyard silently for several minutes.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

Mireille sighed, "I guess you never were much of a talker. What are you doing out here?"

"Trying to remember," the younger assassin replied.

"What do you mean, remember what?" Mireille's brow furrowed.

Kirika gazed out at the vineyards for what seemed hours to Mireille before turning back to the Corsican, "Everything," she whispered and began walking away.

"Kirika!" Mireille called after her, not sure what was going on with the girl, "I want to help. Tell me what's going on and I can help."

Kirika continued walking away slowly, "No, no you can't. Perhaps . . ." she craned her head towards the manor, "Perhaps Chloe can."

Mireille couldn't stop a sort of growl from escaping her, "How's that little freak going to help?"

Kirika turned to protest, but was at a loss for how to defend Chloe. _Stop insulting my friend? You don't know anything about her? Is she my friend? Do **I **know anything about her? Is she something . . . more than a friend? _Dejectedly, Kirika just walked briskly back to the manor, leaving a very angry assassin in her wake.

* * *

"Augh!" Mireille banged her fists on the stonework of the old ruin, "What's going on here?!"

"Is there something the matter?" Althena asked softly from behind Mireille, causing the Corsican to gasp and turn to the unnoticed spectator.

Mireille's anger flared, "Yes, there's something the matter! I find out the Soldats want Kirika and I dead, I get whisked away to some godforsaken creepy old mansion while someone _burns down_ my apartment, I'm being 'protected' by some senile woman and her freaky little sidekick, Kirika never talks to me anymore and as far as I can see there's no one after me anymore," Mireille panted at the end of her long rant, glaring into the elder woman's passive face.

"I understand that you are frustrated," Althena began quietly, "I did not foresee so much opposition. I am working to determine where it is originating but have not had much luck. You are free to leave if you wish but I ask you to stay, for yours and Kirika's safety."

"But we already know it's the Soldats!" Mireille protested, "That's where it's originating from!"

The woman smiled slightly, "The Soldats is a very . . . complex organization. It is made up of several different sects, each with different ideals and goals. The attack on your apartment as well as the ongoing threat to Noir is coming from one or a group of the sects, not the Soldats in general. It is merely a matter of time before we discover the source."

"And how do you know so much about the Soldats," Mireille demanded angrily.

"I have had dealings with them before," Althena explained vaguely, "Now if you will excuse me I need to see to my duties."

As the woman retreated back to the manor Mireille grimaced, _I knew she knew something. What kind of 'dealings' does she have with them? _Mireille sighed, _I suppose the only way to find out is to stay and see. But I'll have to be careful. This is getting more suspicious by the day. I'll go tell Kirika that these people have something to do with the Soldats, _she smirked slightly, _Looks like your 'friend' Chloe isn't so friendly after all. I knew she wasn't to be trusted._

* * *

**Author's Note:** Review. I love it when you do. Hehe, I love reviews. 


	7. Surfacing Memories

**Author's Notes**: Alright, so y'all know I'm planning a lemon within the next 2 or 3 chapters so if the fic suddenly disappears from the listings just look for fics rated R. XD Meanwhile, I think we need to start up a C2 community for C/K fics, ne? I tried to but I don't think it worked. Someone who knows what they're doing should do it! Now, regarding this chapter, hope y'all like it and please review.

* * *

**Lost but not Forgotten - Forgotten but not Lost  
Chapter 7 - Surfacing Memories**

* * *

"Huh? Oh . . ." Chloe half-leapt out of her bed, startled from her oh-so-wonderful dream by a knocking on her door, _Damn, and it was just getting good, _she smiled to herself, hoping she didn't look to flushed as she cracked the door open, seeing the focus of her dream causing her blush to deepen, "Kirika. I-uh-what is it?"

"Can I come in?" She asked humbly, "I hope I didn't interrupt anything . . ."

_Eh, I must be so red . . . not to mention I think I'm sweating, _Chloe grimaced, shaking her head, "No, nothing, I was just sleeping. Please, uh, come in," she stepped aside, allowing the other girl entrance before closing the oaken door behind her "Was there something wrong?"

* * *

Kirika remained silent, scanning Chloe's room slowly. This seemed very familiar to her. The contents were simple enough; a large four-poster bed, an armoire, a fainting couch . . .

_"When will you be back?" Chloe inquired, sitting on the couch as she watched her friend donning her traveling clothes. Her head held in her hands she watched Kirika's every move as the assassin gracefully prepared for another task._

_"Soon," Kirika replied plainly as she grabbed a long green cloak from the armoire and draped it around her shoulders. Checking her gun she smiled at the younger girl, "As soon as I can."_

"Kirika?" Chloe inquired, a bit of worry showing in her voice, "Is everything alright?"

"I-uh, yes," Kirika nodded, _What was that? Some sort of . . . memory? No matter . . _., "Chloe, I . . . I wanted to apologize."

"For what?" Chloe sat on her bed, staring inquisitively at the elder assassin.

"Because, I don't remember. I know I know you, but I don't know how. I know we were friends, but I don't know how we met, what we did together, why we stopped being friends. I . . . don't remember anything," Kirika sighed, sitting down next to Chloe.

Chloe sat silently for several minutes, and then grinned slightly, "I would like to tell you. I would like you to know about us . . . but an answer is something you must find for yourself. That's what Althena always told us. If someone were to tell you something it's not memory, it's just a fact you were told. You will regain your memory one day, and then you will understand that it's not something I can just tell you."

Kirika held her face in her hands, "But . . . what if I never get my memory back?"

"You will, Kirika," Chloe said resolutely, somehow lending her faith to Kirika and lifting the older girl's spirits, "And until then," Chloe smiled happily, "We will be friends again."

"Yes, we will." Kirika smiled.

* * *

"Kirika, there you are!" Mireille gave a sigh of relief, jogging up to Kirika as she shut the door of Chloe's room, "What were you doing in there?" Mireille inquired, suspicion and jealousy rearing its ugly head.

"Talking," she responded quietly, starting down the corridor towards the front door.

"About what?" Mireille pressed, following her partner.

"About my memory."

"Or lack thereof," Mireille chuckled to herself, then continued, "Listen. This Althena lady has got to have something to do with the Soldats. She practically came right out and told me. Apparently there's a group in the Soldats trying to kill Noir but others are trying to stop them. Anyways, Althena has to have something to do with it. This place is dangerous, but it's going to lead us to some answers, I think." Mireille paused, waiting for a reply, but as the Japanese girl continued walking silently she continued, "But, anyways, just be on your toes, I don't trust these women."

"I do," the girl responded calmly.

"What?"

"I said I trust them," Kirika smiled a bit, "I . . . I used to know them, before I lost my memory. I'm not sure how, but I know that they're not going to hurt me. I think I'll go lie down now. Excuse me, Mireille," with that the girl retreated into her room, ending the conversation, leaving a perplexed and slightly angry Corsican standing in her wake.

_What? She's had connections with these people all along and she didn't even tell me? _Mireille thought frantically, _She's been keeping this from me the whole time? No, that can't be it. There's got to be something else. I'm her best friend, dammit! Of course she'd tell me first. They must have done something to her. Mind control? Ha! This house must be driving me insane. Wonder how long I can stay here until I'm as crazy as Althena. I bet this place is getting to Kirika, too. Maybe if we get away for a while this will all clear up. After all, it can't be too dangerous to leave if that freak sends Chloe out on 'missions.' I'll just see if she has any jobs for Kirika and I to do. Excellent._

* * *

"A job?" Althena repeated curiously as the group sat around an uncomfortably quiet dinner table.

"Yes," Mireille answered, "Kirika and I have been sitting around this house the past few days and I think it'd be good if we went out. I was hoping you'd have a task or something that needed doing so that we could leave for a while."

"You know you are welcome to leave at any time but if you'd like to do something for me I do have a few things that might be suitable," Althena replied kindly.

"May I go as well, Althena?" Chloe requested happily.

"Yes, can Chloe go as well?" Kirika asked serenely, drawing an elated look from Chloe and a not quite so elated look from Mireille.

"Kirika, I don't think that would be such a good—"

"I think that would be best," Althena replied, cutting Mireille off, "Chloe knows what is to be expected on these missions."

"Fine," Mireille grumbled, "As long as we can go soon."

* * *

**Author's Note**: Don't forget to review! Also, don't forget this might be rated R in the upcoming installments.


	8. Alleyway Skirmish

**Author's Note**: Woo-hoo! Quick update. Umm, rating elevation's for violence only, sorry for those of you who were hoping for the lemon. :D Don't worry, soon, kids, soon. Anyways, hope they aren't too OOC this chappy. I was writing it and thought that both Chloe and Mireille came off a bit edgy and suspicious, but when sleeping arrangements are involved, what can ya do? (LOL) Anyways, on with the chapter.

* * *

**Lost but not Forgotten - Forgotten but not Lost  
Chapter 8 - Alleyway Skirmish**

* * *

"So, what, you're like some highly-trained mail courier?" Mireille jested mockingly as the trio of assassins waited in the darkness for the contact to which they were to deliver one of a myriad of letters.

Chloe remained silent, instead opting to hug her heavy cloak tighter against the cold night air. Russia was not the place to be in mid-November. As Mireille shivered against the cold Chloe smirked, "Is that miniskirt special enough to die of hypothermia for?"

Mireille scowled, "I should just kill you right now."

"I'd like to see you try," Chloe shot back.

"Please, stop," the meager plea from Kirika drew the two out of their rivalry as they peered at the young Japanese girl huddled against the stonework of an old building, her eyes closed in thought, "Why do you always seem to fight?"

Mireille sighed inwardly; _Well if Chloe wasn't such an immature brat . . . she wasn't even invited on this trip, "_Sorry_."_

The trio raised their eyes as a broken-down old truck rattled up to the curb on the opposite side of the street. Two men in long coats stepped out, obviously guns for hire, and walked lazily across the cobblestone street, approaching the women cautiously.

Chloe pushed herself up off of the wall on which she was leaning, meeting the men at the curb, "Who are you?"

The unidentified men grinned, one of them laughing rather hoarsely as they each pulled out looming desert eagles and began firing on the assassins. Quick to the draw Kirika already had whipped out her berretta and taken cover behind a large dumpster. Mireille had done likewise, drawing her firearm and taking refuge behind an outcropping in the decaying old building beside her. Like lightning Chloe was in the air, using a nearby trashcan to vault her into the air as she landed gracefully with her knees on the shoulders of one gunman. With a smooth twist of her body she brought the man flailing backwards, snapping his neck cleanly. She whirled around, prepared to assail the second gunman who had turned to face his slain companion when her face and front were splattered with crimson blood, the gunman fallen by a bullet from one of the assassins behind him.

Kirika and Mireille stepped out from their shelters tentatively, assessing the situation while Chloe spit a mouthful of the man's blood onto the street.

"Are you alright?" Kirika inquired of her, concerned the younger girl may have been grazed by the bullet that had killed the gun-for-hire.

"I'm fine," Chloe nodded, wiping her face and hands on the shirt of one of the dead man she had taken down, "This was a set up, a trap."

"No shit, Sherlock," Mireille grumbled, then noticing the assassin glaring menacingly, apologized quickly, though not that sincerely.

After a quick examination it was decided that the contact had been the source of the hit men and that the next course of action would be to retire for the evening to their hotel.

* * *

_I wish Althena had let me get the room that the Soldats usually provide for me. It's so much bigger and it reminds me of home, _Chloe sighed, looking at the large suite in one of the more upscale hotels in the city,_ If only that Corsican hadn't come then Kirika and I could have shared that room . . . like we used to do. Oh, damn, not again, _Chloe kicked herself mentally for such thoughts as she felt her face redden slightly, hoping the other women wouldn't notice.

"Humph, I wouldn't think Althena would be able to afford something this nice," Mireille scoffed, taking stock of the suite. There were two bedrooms, each with an exceptionally large bed, on either side of a common room with a fireplace, TV, mini-bar, etc, "I expected some thatched roof hut," she chuckled at her own joke.

"Providers of our accommodations are very generous," Chloe said stonily, careful not to mention the identity of that provider as she shed her cloak and folded it carefully.

"I'll sleep here," Mireille put her hand on one of the doors leading to one of the bedrooms, yawning loudly, "Good night. Coming, Kirika?"

Chloe's head shot up from her arsenal of knives she had been removing from her person, "There are plenty of places to sleep here. She can sleep in the other room, I will sleep on the couch," she said icily, _How dare she assume that Kirika would sleep with her when there were other options. Humph, now I will be able to sleep between them, that way she won't _try_ anything._

Mireille narrowed her eyes, making it obvious to the youngest of the trio that she knew her motives, "Don't worry," she half-growled, "Kirika and I are used to it," she smirked, somehow knowing that for whatever reason that would cut the assassin deeply.

"I-I can sleep on the couch," Kirika offered, turning to Chloe, "You can have the other bed; I'll sleep on the couch."

Chloe nodded stonily, "If that's what you would like," _I'll have to stay alert, who knows what that Corsican whore might try._

* * *

_Ugh, Kirika, you're falling right into her trap. Who knows what that little freak might try? She'll probably slit your throat while you sleep. I'll have to stay alert; _Mireille thought resolutely, nodding to herself, "Alright then, it's settled. I'll have this room, Chloe will have that room, Kirika will sleep on the couch," she finished her sentence by meeting Chloe's glare as they stood in a sort of staring contest, neither willing to leave Kirika alone with the other.

Kirika sprawled out on the couch, the face-off between her friends unnoticed as she stretched hugely and drifted quickly to sleep. Seeing that the object of their rivalry had fallen to sleep the pair of assassins still glaring at each other relinquished their posts, each retreating into their rooms.

Mireille sat cross-legged on her bed, cleaning her pistol carefully as she strained to listen toward the other room. _I still don't trust that girl. Kirika seems at ease around her; she thinks she knows her. But Kirika is young and foolish; I won't fall into their trap so easily. I will just have to be on guard for Kirika as well, before she gets in over her head._

_If only she could have had her little identity crisis somewhere else. Why in the middle of all of this Soldats stuff. It would be so much easier for Kirika, and for me, if we didn't have to deal with these freaks giving her any ideas. She's so susceptible right now and they're taking advantage of it. _Mireille growled audibly at her frustration, _however, if I want to get my answers I'll have to stick with it. With any luck they will come soon._

Having finished cleaning her firearm, Mireille pressed her ear to her door once more. Satisfied that Chloe wasn't doing anything at the moment the Corsican settled down in her bed for a light sleep, staying alert for anything the youngest of the trio might try.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Woo-hoo! Review!


	9. Three's a Crowd

**Author's Note:** Woo-hoo, another fast update. Sorry, no lemon, but I promise this story will get citrus-y soon. XD

**Mad:** I'm glad I have some loyal readers. :D You really love reviewing, don't you? LOL, I love getting reviews, so I guess we work well together. LOL

**Spritedust**: Yeah, takes about a day to get it all put in correctly, I guess, so if you want, just type in the URL. If not, be patient. Also, I have this story posted on my website if you want to check out the link in my profile.

Also, I started a C2 community for Chloe/Kirika fics so if any of y'all write them, tell me and I'll add them to my community. :D Also looking for staff or whatever you call them, though I don't know what the purpose of staff members is. :

* * *

**Lost but not Forgotten - Forgotten but not Lost  
Chapter 9 - Three's a Crowd**

* * *

"Good morning," Kirika smiled brightly as Mireille stumbled stiffly out of her room, her hair a tangled mess and her clothes a wrinkled mess, "Did you not sleep well?"

"What gives you that idea?" Mireille grumbled sarcastically, setting to the task of making coffee with the complimentary machine near the mini-bar.

A knock at the door caused the pair to look up, tentatively reaching for their nearby side arms. Gun in hand Mireille walked slowly toward the door. Turning the knob she peered into the empty hallway. Looking in either direction she found the passage empty. It wasn't until Kirika came from behind her and picked the letter up from the floor that Mireille even noticed the message set outside the door.

"It's addressed to Chloe," Kirika reported, reading the name etched in fine, elegant handwriting across the envelope.

"Well, let's see just what kind of letters our 'friend' receives," Mireille smiled menacingly, snatching the envelope from Kirika before the girl could protest.

She tore the end off of the envelope, extracting a thin piece of parchment, "Hmm, it's from Althena," Mireille reported, scanning the letter.

"Mireille, I don't think you should be looking at her mail," Kirika responded idly, "I doubt you would want her looking at yours."

"Come on, Kirika, this is a chance to find out what these people are up to," Mireille urged, turning back to the letter, "but I don't get it, it's like some sort of code," Mireille's brow furrowed, "All it talks about are grapes and trees and stuff. I don't get it. I'll tell you one thing, though; if Althena ever talked to me like she does to Chloe in this letter I'd be thoroughly creeped out."

"Is that for me?" Chloe asked icily as she emerged from her room, her hair and clothes nearly as disheveled and unkempt as Mireille's, "I would assume so as the envelope has my name on it. Why did you open it," she snatched the letter from Mireille, skimming it quickly. She folded it and placed it in an unseen pocket of her tight black outfit she usually wore under her cloak, "It would appear that our friends last night were sent by a rather low-ranking member of the Soldats. We're to pay her a 'visit.'"

"You got that out of that letter?" Mireille mused.

"It was written for me, not for you. Thus, I can understand it, you can't."

Mireille scowled, biting her response back, "Whatever. So, we just have to kill some guy?"

Chloe seized her cloak, donning it quickly, and began arming herself with a handful of small knives, "You don't have to come if you don't want; Kirika and I can handle this ourselves."

"I think I might come along anyway," Mireille glowered coldly.

"That's alright, Mireille," Kirika said softly, slipping her shoes on at the door, "You should try and rest if you didn't sleep well," _Not to mention I'll be able to spend some time with Chloe. I don't know how but she seems to be the key to my memories. When I went into her room there was that memory . . . I don't remember it so well anymore, but I remember feeling like I'd been there. Perhaps if I spend more time with her . . . perhaps then I'll remember._

"Excellent," Chloe beamed her face child-like and glowing, "Let's go," she grabbed Kirika's wrist, half-dragging her friend out of the hotel room and down the hall, leaving a fuming Corsican behind.

* * *

"I'm sorry Mireille read your letter," Kirika ventured to break the silence as she sat with Chloe in the darkness outside of a ritzy theater, awaiting their prey in the cold night air.

"I expected as much from her," Chloe responded idly, "Althena has a way of writing her letters, she speaks in a way that only the person the letter was meant for might understand it," she smiled meekly, "She's very wise."

"So, the man in the theater, he's a member of the Soldats?" Kirika inquired, looking toward the flashing marquee.

"Yes. His family has ties deep within the Soldats. His parents were upstanding members of the Soldats, but they were killed several months ago. He has taken over for them, but it seems he's more interested in the power he gains than the responsibility he takes up."

"Did you kill his parents?"

"No," Chloe shook her head softly, her breath emitting a cloud of icy fog as she breathed her answer, "I did not kill them, though this boy's recent attack on us causes me to think he feels I did," Chloe's arm stirred under her cloak, as she looked at something in her hand, "The play let's out in . . . one hour."

The pair had left the hotel to find their prey had already left his large mansion of a home. They had gone on to follow him throughout his daily routine of pressuring political figures, visits to upscale strip-clubs, lunching at an elegant restaurant, a couple more strip-clubs, and finally to an opening of a play at one of the more famous theaters where the two assassins now waited in the darkness of the alleyway across the street.

Kirika shivered slightly against the cold night air, her skirt and jacket a horrible shelter from the Russian night. Chloe smiled to herself, _Excellent, an excuse. _She inched up next to the assassin, draping the heavy cloak she wore around her friend, wrapping the Japanese girl up next to her in a warm embrace, "You look cold," she smiled, whispering into Kirika's ear as it was now merely inches from her lips as she held her friend close to her.

* * *

_"What's wrong?" Kirika asked plainly as she hugged her cloak tighter to her body. Switzerland was not exactly warm in mid-February._

_"I'm c-cold," Chloe shivered, dressed only in the thin outfit she wore when training with Kirika at the manor. She was covered with blood, as she usually was when they had completed their missions. Now as the pair stood in an empty lot on the outskirts of this town, waiting for the car to come pick them up, she shuddered through the cold._

_"We should just walk back to Bern; the Soldats have a safe house there. It will only take us a couple of hours," Kirika explained logically, "But for some reason you'd prefer to wait in this godforsaken field when it's below freezing._

_"C-cars," Chloe smiled, quaking madly from the chilly air, "Ah-althena is letting us ride in a c-car."_

_Kirika smiled, knowing that, though about thirteen, Chloe was still like a child when it came to car rides. Being raised in the manor had shorted them many experiences others might take for granted. Chloe hadn't ridden in an automobile more than 5 times in her lifetime and she seemed quite amazed each time she did. Kirika grabbed the younger girl by the wrist, pulling her closer and wrapping her in the long green cloak, "Here, stupid girl. You need to dress warmer," she scolded kindly._

_"S-some of us don't have c-cloaks," Chloe smiled back, burying her head into the other girl's shoulder._

_"You can have this one," Kirika volunteered, smirking._

_"Really?"_

_"No," Kirika laughed menacingly, and then poked the girl in the side, smiling, "You're not good enough, yet. When you're a real assassin you can have it."_

_"Never mind all the people I killed tonight?" Chloe laughed a bit, finally warming up._

_"Those don't count," Kirika smiled, "I helped. When you can do that without my help, then you can have it."_

_"Really?"_

_In response the older girl merely kissed the top of the red-haired girl's head, holding her tighter against the cold night air as they waited for their ride._

* * *

"What?" Kirika asked the other girl quietly, bringing Chloe back to the here and now.

"Huh?"

"You said 'It looks like the shoe's on the other foot,''" Kirika clarified, "What were you talking about?"

"Oh, nothing," Chloe chuckled a bit, shaking her head. Glancing across the street she saw people beginning to emerge from the theater, "Looks like it's time to get moving."

They stood in silence, their weapons at the ready as they waited. Their prey emerged from the theater, laughing loudly at some joke or other, toting a rather annoyed-looking call-girl on his arm as he made his way to the curb and into his waiting car. As the sleek black vehicle pulled slowly away from the curb the pair of assassins stepped from their dark alley, making their way quickly down the dark street in pursuit.

Luckily the traffic was heavy and keeping pace with the car was simple, though they were on foot. Stealthily they followed the vehicle through the city until they arrived at the man's home once again. Quickly they slipped in the gates behind the car undetected and waited at the perimeter of the estate as the man extracted himself from the vehicle and led his escort into the house. As soon as the driver had driven around the house to the garages the deadly pair of assassins moved toward the house, careful to elude the watchmen. Around the back they found a desolate-looking service entrance. Finding it unlocked they silently moved in, through the house towards the foyer.

The man seemed to live alone as they didn't have any opposition moving up the grand staircase and into the living areas. Rays of light framed the closed double doors at the end of a grand hallway and they could hear the soft giggle of the prostitute from behind it.

Chloe looked to Kirika. They nodded in sync and Chloe pushed down the door handle, barging in on the man's festivities with his hired girl. Moving quickly Chloe sent a fast blow to the courtesan's midriff, the girl immediately falling to the floor unconscious.

The man was rifling frantically in his bureau for his handgun as Kirika slowly raised her pistol, not sure if Chloe needed to speak with him before she shot. As the girl didn't move to help or hinder, merely stared, as if hoping to witness the deed intimately, Kirika squeezed her trigger sending a bullet through the side of the man's skull.

"Chloe, we should leave," Kirika urged several moments later as the sound of the perimeter guards reaching the front door reached her ears. Chloe merely continued to stare at the scene in wonder, "Chloe, what's wrong?"

The girl shook her head, dismissing her thoughts with the action, and they moved quickly through the hall. From the top of the stairs Kirika made easy work of the guards that squeezed through the front doors and the pair exited the manor quickly, leaving behind them a slew of dead men and a prostitute sure to be quite confused when she woke up.

* * *

**Author's Note**: I live off of the life essence of innocent children and your reviews. . . What? Like, really, review. :D


	10. Chloe's Dirty!

**Author's Notes**: This chapter sees rating elevation due to a not-terribly-graphic sexual scene. I do hope you enjoy it. . Please, feel free to e-mail me with any critiques. There's a rather hefty flashback/dream in this chapter and because I know how annoying it is to read a page of italics I'll be bolding them for this chapter only.

**Mad**: I'm honoured. As for why Kirika would smile? Well . . . she's on crack. LOL Nah, I guess I put that in there because her and Mireille are friends and it's natural to smile when you greet your friends.

**Angel of Sorrow**: You're right, Chloe's not a freak, but Mireille's a bitch who throws around names. LOL, I'm an avid Mireille basher. I think we all know Althena's a few pages short of a manuscript, darling. LOL You're right, they never show blood in Noir, but unlike Noir, my fanfic does not need to be edited for Japanese television and as such I will implement blood as I see fit. (Throws buckets of blood at people.) LOL

* * *

**Lost but not Forgotten - Forgotten but not Lost   
Chapter 10 - Chloe's Dirty (In More Ways Than One)**

* * *

_That was simple_, Chloe thought to herself as they walked along the late-night streets toward their hotel. Chloe seemed not to notice the slew of perplexed, even frightened looks she drew from passers-by as she roamed the streets in a long dark cape, covered in blood she'd accumulated ridding a few final perimeter guards of their lives, _What a foolish boy, to betray the Soldats like that. He was sloppy, like that heinous attack on Kirika and her friend in Paris. Arson? What a clumsy assassination attempt. However, the pure fact that he had the gall to launch such an attack suggests he was being fed his confidence from a superior. I somehow doubt this will put an end to our troubles, _"Huh?" Chloe turned back a bit at the tug on her cloak.

"Chloe, perhaps you should go wash up," Kirika suggested plainly, having got the girl's attention.

She peered toward a shop window nearby, picking out her reflection and seeing she did indeed look a mess, covered with quickly-drying blood from head to toe, "You're right," Chloe smiled, "Let's go find a sink."

* * *

**   
"Honestly, Chloe, how do you do it?"**

**"Do what?"**

**"Get so much blood all over you!" Kirika answered plainly, watching her friend strip off her bloody clothing piece by piece.**

**The younger girl blinked, peeling off her black leather bracers, "If you wouldn't shoot them when I'm right next to them . . ."**

**"Well if you'd get there quick enough you could kill them," Kirika responded dismissively, looking out the window onto the canals, "Venice is nice. I wonder if the canals ever freeze over."**

**Chloe shot a confused look toward the girl at the window, before shrugging off Kirika's eccentricity as she usually did, _Kirika and her window-side observations_, Chloe sighed, pulling off her boots and kneepads caked with mud and blood. She pushed herself up off the bed, shedding her belt and chest plate and pulling her worn-out old uniform over her head. She glanced side-long at her idol as the teenager stood gazing out the window wistfully. **

**"Kirika?" Chloe asked tentatively.**

**"Hmm?" Kirika didn't turn from the window.**

**Chloe chewed her lip for a minute, before turning toward the bathroom in their hotel room provided by their superiors, "Nothing," she sighed, leaving her friend to her window-side contemplation.**

**The torrent of lukewarm water quickly peeled the caked blood away from Chloe's skin, pushing the crimson water into the drain on which Chloe stood, watching the blood flow down as she stood idly. Her muscles relaxed under the warm shower of water, and she stood, taking in the calmness it brought her. She smiled at the puddle of blood-stained water that was accumulating at her feet as she stood over the drain, "And the blood of the Soldats will seep . . ." she whispered to herself wistfully.**

**"What was that?"**

**Chloe started a bit, before realizing that the voice so close to her ear, barely audible, wasn't a real intruder or enemy. She smiled as she felt Kirika wrap her arms around her waist tightly, pulling the younger girl back against her. Leaning into Kirika's embrace, Chloe whispered back, "Nothing, just thinking."**

**Kirika grinned, taking hold of the younger girl's shoulders and pulling her around to face her. Not giving Chloe the chance to protest, Kirika pulled her into a soft kiss, one of her hands seizing Chloe's chin, holding her face to her own as she pressed her lips harder onto the lips of her partner, her tongue sneaking its way into the younger girl's open mouth.**

**Eager to deepen the kiss Chloe wrapped her arms around her idol, nudging her tongue past Kirika's into her love's mouth. They stood under the torrent of shower water, wrapped in each other's arms, neither willing to break the kiss and instead opting to deepen it almost forcefully. As Kirika finally broke the kiss to peer down at her gasping companion, she smiled warmly, pushing Chloe back against the plaster wall of the shower lightly where she pinned the girl with another kiss.**

**The next several minutes were a blissful blur as the two engaged in what had become a ritual confusion of motion between the two, each responding clumsily but eagerly to the other's advances and retreats, their breathing heavier than it would ever be on any job the preformed, Kirika with a look of dead concentration set on her face masking her delight, Chloe with her eyes squeezed shut in a sort of child-like joy. Through the falling water the silence was broken only by the hard and steady breathing of the two as they quietly worked, their hands moving as if they had minds of their own, finding only the most sensuous areas on their love.**

**A flurry of rigid movements from both parties as well as a soft cry from the younger of the two signaled the climactic end of their engagement and with a final dismissive kiss Kirika took her leave, leaving Chloe to slump down in the shower stall, exhausted and very happy.**

* * *

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"What on earth are you doing? Did you die or something?"

Chloe nearly cried out in shock, stopping herself only by holding her free hand to her mouth. Wondering if she'd imagined that noisy Corsican's demanding interruption she listened through the fall of the water for another knock.

"It's been nearly an hour, what are you doing?!" Came another knock and shout at the bathroom door, causing Chloe to cringe, jarring her out of her blissful walk down memory lane.

No matter, she'd finished what she'd been doing moments before. She quickly rinsed off once more and extracted herself from the small shower stall, dressing quickly and emerging with a look of absolute vexation etched across her features.

"What took you so long," Mireille pressed, obviously in a sour mood after the two had spent the entire day out without her.

"Nothing," Chloe grumbled, hoping to hide her flushed cheeks as she sat on the couch in the common room of their suite. Her glance fell on Kirika as the girl peered out the window into the darkness. Hearing Mireille begin to speak again she made a quick move to change the subject, "We will leave here in the morning. Althena will need to know about what's happened and will decide our actions from here."

Kirika nodded, not looking from the window, and Mireille sighed heavily, biting back whatever she had been about to say as she set about making herself a cup of coffee.

Chloe continued to peer at Kirika out of the corner of her eye as the girl stood silently at the window, looking out onto the street, _Maybe, one day Kirika, you'll remember that, too. Then we'll be together again. You can come and live at the Manor again. Your friend can visit sometimes; too, we'll have tea. Oh how I wish I could tell you everything, make you remember faster, but I know that that would merely confuse you even more. It hurts so much seeing you like this, but I will be patient, as Althena has told me to be, and soon we will be together again, just like before._

* * *

**Author's Notes**: Hope you enjoyed it! Like the title?  LOL Please review as always! 


	11. Titles Suck!

**Author Notes**: As I sit here listening to Two Little Girls by Ani Difranco I feel compelled to update. LOL Sorry this took so long, but I've been working on a new Slayers Xellos/Filia fic (Only anime M/F pairing I really love! XD) and of course on Twist of Fate – Change of Heart. Read it if you haven't yet! If you have, read it again! LOL Of course, I also am trying desperately to get a job. After I update this fic I'm going straight to updating my Mireille/Chloe fic, so look for that, too!

**Mad**: I thought about that as well, but then you have to remember I haven't stated their ages for that flashback. Because of my ruthless twisting of the Noir storyline it may have been two years ago and if you consider Chloe and Kirika to be in late teens, say 16 and 19 respectively, which I always thought, then they could have been 14 and 17 (Damn, Kirika's a pedophile! LOL) at the time of the flashback. Not necessarily children. Besides considering their work, I'd assume they'd be a bit more accustomed to mature stuff. XD In short: Quiet you! Hehe, yeah, well . . . yeah. Just kidding of course, love you! Hehehe, okay, let's just get on with the fic already, huh?

* * *

**Lost but not Forgotten – Forgotten but not Lost  
****Chapter 11 – Mireille Bathes, Chloe Trains, Kirika Recalls  
****(For Lack of a Better Title)**

Chloe peered intently out of the window as the car made its way down the winding back roads of eastern Europe. Her eyes sparkled happily as they darted from the scenery outside the window to Kirika who sat across from her quietly with her hands folded in her lap to Mireille who sat on the other side of this back seat eyeing Chloe suspiciously and back again to the countryside outside. She tried not to make her giddiness apparent but it wasn't going too well.

"What are you doing?" Mireille said, a hint of suspicion in her voice as she eyed the capricious girl beside her.

Chloe's eyes snapped from the highway sign they'd just passed back to the Corsican. She glared as menacingly as possible in her current state of elation then returned her gaze quickly back to the outside world, shrugging off Mireille's questions which might ruin this blissful car ride for her.

Mireille sighed and gazed out the window, not nearly as entertained by what she saw as the youngest girl in the vehicle. Bright and early that morning they'd exited their hotel to find this car waiting at the curb. It was a black sedan, quite unobtrusive, and was driven by man in a suit who hadn't said a word to them, only drove silently and seriously. Mireille did however note that the man carried a gun at his side, under his jacket.

Wary of a trap, Mireille had been sure to sit where she could watch him at all times. He'd done nothing suspicious so far, and it did seem that they were headed in the general direction of the manor.

Mireille's gaze fell on the Japanese girl sitting silently across the passenger cabin from her. Kirika'd been sitting, if possible, more still than their driver as she gazed placidly out the window, her face, as usual, conveying nothing.

"Kirika, are you alright?" Mireille asked softly.

The girl turned her head and stared at the blonde for a moment before silently nodding her head.

"Are you hungry? We can probably get the driver to stop somewhere," Mireille offered.

She shook her head slowly, then turned back to looking out the window.

Mireille's expression turned melancholy as she turned back toward the window.

Kirika hadn't had much sleep the night before and as she stared at the hills beyond the windowpane her eyes felt heavy. She had only been able to get a bit of sleep after returning from her and Chloe's mission before they set out once again for the manor.

Her thoughts touched on one subject only to move quickly to the next. Though admittedly her life, from what she could assume and remember, was never very stable everything had suddenly become that much more unstable. Her home with Mireille in Paris had been destroyed and they'd been rushed to the Manor. This Manor was her home? But she didn't remember it. This girl was her . . . her soul-mate?

Kirika blinked and glanced at Chloe out of the corners of her eyes. The younger girl was trying to hide her apparent joy, and doing a rather poor job of it_. I suppose she doesn't ride in cars much_, Kirika mused, turning her head to look out the window once again, _It must have been hard . . . growing up all alone in the Manor with Althena. But . . . she wasn't alone. She had me._

* * *

Mireille grumbled a bit as she pulled her shirt over her head. She'd never figured out the whole concept of communal bath houses like she'd seen in Japan and as she stripped off her clothing piece by piece she wondered once again why anyone would choose to live like this.

_I suppose it's better than not bathing at all, _she sighed inwardly and began filling a nearby wooden bucket with water, _But this water isn't even heated. I swear as soon as that insurance is all settled for the apartment I'm gonna go get my own house. Kirika and I have to get out of here. Huh? _Grabbing the pistol she'd kept by her side she quickly pointed it towards the entrance to this . . . was it some sort of cave? "Who's there?" She called loudly, knowing she'd heard footsteps a moment before.

Kirika came silently plodding into the . . . was this supposed to be some sort of natural cave? The younger of the women lifted her eyes slowly to meet Mireille's as the Corsican lowered her gun and relaxed her shoulders, turning back to her bathing.

"I was just thinking about how we need to get out of here," Mireille informed Kirika as the girl stripped off her own clothing and kneeled next to Mireille, filling a bucket with water, "I was able to check on the progress of my insurance claim while we were in Russia. We should be able to cash in in a couple weeks. Then we can get a house. Won't that be nice?"

"Mm-hmm," Kirika nodded slightly, dumping the bucket of water over her head.

Mireille smiled at her partner, _Good. After all, Kirika, you belong with me._

* * *

Chloe half-growled as she hacked harder and faster than she even knew she could at the wood and straw dummy which stood at the center of what resembled a small coliseum. The stone work had long since chipped and cracked, giving the arena a look of disuse, belying the fact that Chloe had been training here nearly every day of her life that she could remember.

_Damn her. Damn her. Damn her! _Chloe's rage seemed to surge its way into the blade of the sword as she embedded it firmly in the mannequin's wooden torso. She jerked it out angrily and continued to reduce the training tool to sawdust. _Kirika is coming back to me. Slowly, so slowly. But she's coming back. I will not let that woman take her away from me. I won't let Kirika be stolen from me again. Not this time. This time I will save her._

Letting out a fierce roar which echoed in the small arena she lunged with her sword, driving it deep into the wooden core of the dummy. Releasing her grip on the hilt Chloe wiped the litres of sweat pouring down her face away, scowling at the wooden head of the pseudo-enemy. _But that won't do. Like it or not, Kirika sees something in that woman. We could never be like we were before, not if I killed Kirika's friend. But what else could I do? Drive them apart, somehow? No. The Daughter of Corsica would just whisk her back to her in Paris. I have to focus on Kirika, on her memories._

Pulling the sword loose of the wooden block Chloe looked upon her reflection in the shining metal. Her sweat-soaked and dirt-covered face grinned back at her before she turned to return to the Manor.

* * *

Kirika was peering idly out the window of the Manor's entrance hall as a bit of movement caught her eye. Chloe had just come into view, looking quite the sight, covered in dirt and sweat and carrying a long sword at her side. She was wearing a bland tan . . . would that be considered a tunic? . . . and had a plate strapped over her chest to protect her heart. A training uniform no doubt. Of course, no one would wear a protective plate to train alone. _That's what she wore . . . when we trained together? _Kirika stared intently as Chloe slowly walked up the dirt path to the Manor, hoping to remember something, anything, about her mysterious past with this mysterious girl.

_"Don't be such a baby," the elder of the two girls jested, punching her companion softly._

_"But it hurt," Chloe moved her arm in circles, trying to stop the throbbing pain which had been brought about by the dislocation of the joint only minutes before. Kirika'd helped her reset it, but that didn't mean she had to forgive her, "Why do you always hit so hard?"_

Chloe was nearly at the Manor as Kirika's eyes widened, recalling a time when she had worn that same outfit and trained just over the hill from which Chloe had appeared. Her mind touched on a small stone arena and a bit of hand to hand practice which had gone awry when Chloe's left arm had been knocked out of its socket.

_But even then, when she'd been in pain, she smiled. Why's she not smiling now?_

* * *

**Author's Notes**: Hehe, there you have it! I see my story is no longer rated R and is instead rated M for Mature. Wonder what the new rating system's all about. Either way, hope you enjoyed it, review review review, and hopefully I'll be able to update sooner than I did this time. 


	12. Lost Memories Gained

**Author's Notes:** Well, another update makes its appearance. A very heart-felt thanks to that-fan for helping me significantly with this chapter, as well as letting me steal some ideas. Hehe, Chloe-kite. ;)

* * *

**Lost but not Forgotten – Forgotten but not Lost  
****Chapter 12 – Lost Memories Gained**

* * *

Her post at the window abandoned, Kirika found herself once again wandering aimlessly through the empty halls of the ancient Manor. She passed from room to room slowly, hoping that the unfamiliar surroundings would become familiar; hoping a memory might make it's way back to her. 

Her efforts seemed vain as she moved throughout the house, through long-forgotten dens and never-used guest rooms. The halls yielded no information, nor did the studies or lounges. Her hope depleted, she found herself in a small library far from the areas of the Manor which were commonly used; far from Mireille or Chloe or Althena. Sighing she pulled a sheet off of an old sofa in the corner, sitting down and stirring a cloud of dust from the ancient upholstery. She'd tried her hardest but she couldn't remember a thing. Then again, how could one really will themselves to remember anything? Frustrated, she bent over, holding her head in her hands and sighing heavily.

* * *

_Kirika lifted her head up, sensing she was no longer alone. Chloe was standing in the doorway, looking in tentatively. Kirika smiled, sitting back on her bed, resting on her elbows, "Come in, it's your room too."_

_Chloe smiled and entered, sure now she'd not interrupted her friend, "What are you doing?"_

* * *

Kirika's eyes opened slowly, a small bit of her memory finding its way back to her. It wasn't a lost cause after all. She stood up, fairly certain she'd learned all she could from this place. It looked like this room hadn't been used in decades; she'd probably not been here before. Where in the house _had_ she been before? Well, Chloe's room for certain, and the dining room and entry way, but those were all quite mundane. Hoping the familiar surroundings would bring more of her past back to her she began a slow trek back to the area of the Manor she would have actually spent time. 

She reached the front entrance without any revelations, and thankfully without any interruptions from other occupants of the house. Her mind set on the stone arena beyond the hill at which she used to train with Chloe she left the manor, squinting her eyes against the sunlight.

It was a short walk, no more than a half kilometer, to the arena Kirika could now recall from her days here. It looked no different than what she could remember. A rather abused-looking training dummy stood in the center, no doubt fresh from a Chloe beating. She sat down on one of the huge stone steps, taking in the site of the old training ground.

* * *

_The clash of steel and the heavy breathing of the two girls was all that could be heard within the arena as the adolescents engaged in what would appear to the uneducated as a vicious battle to the death. Each strike was intended to hit home, each thrust driven with the seeming intent to kill._

_The pair dodged and parried, darted and lunged as they danced around the arena guiding their swords as efficiently as possible towards the metal plate that covered the breast of their foe. It seemed an eternity as they traded missed and parried blows before Kirika was able to knock the sword from the other's hand, sending it skidding through the dust to the other side of the arena. Letting out a grunt in dismay Chloe sprinted after the sword, reaching it just as Kirika pounced on her back, tackling the younger girl under her. She pressed the flat of her blade firmly across Chloe's neck to prove her point, "You lose."_

_Relaxing and letting her forehead rest in the dust Chloe let out a slight moan of displeasure, "I thought I could get it in time . . ."_

_Kirika pushed herself up off of the girl, brushing off her clothes and trying to brush dust out of the nicks and cuts that Chloe'd been able to inflict. As Chloe rolled over onto her stomach Kirika held out her hand to help the girl up, "Come on, we should go back and get these cuts cleaned up," she said, bringing her attention to the numerous small gashes she'd been able to inflict in retaliation._

_Chloe sighed, picking up her sword, "I guess I wasn't fast enough."_

_"You did fine," Kirika smiled, bringing a smile to her partner's face as well, "Fine just wasn't good enough," she finished jeeringly as she started walking back to the house._

_"I'll get you next time," Chloe claimed as she caught up with her partner, falling into step beside her._

_"I don't think so," Kirika protested as she rested her sword on her shoulder._

* * *

The young Japanese girl crossed her legs as she sat on the stone steps of the mini-coliseum, looking up at the blue, cloudless sky. She had indeed trained alongside Chloe here. They'd fought some vicious battles no doubt, _yet we always left together, as friends._

_They're coming back to me. It's all coming back. I suppose it will only take time, _Kirika surmised, standing. _It seems that being around things from my past helps . . . Chloe . . ._

* * *

Kirika'd not had to search long before finding Chloe. Covered in dirt and sweat from her sparring with the wooden mannequin earlier that morning Chloe had sought out the cavernous bathing hall The girl had looked up and smiled at Kirika for a moment, a slight pink showing on her cheeks before turning back to scrub the dirt from her nails vigorously. 

Kirika sat on a natural outcropping of rock on the wall, quite suited as bench and hugged her knees to her chest, _What do I say to her, though? She was my friend but now I can't even talk to her about us._

Kirika's internal quandary was resolved when Chloe opted to speak first, "Althena has almost figured out who ordered the attacks on Noir," she explained, "It should be only a day or so until we'll know for certain."

Kirika nodded, "And then we'll go after whoever it is."

"Yes, and then this will be over," Chloe's voice was sullen.

"What's wrong?"

"When this is over . . . you're going back to Paris with your friend," Chloe dumped a bucket of water over her head to wash away the soap suds.

A melancholy look played itself across Kirika's features. Of course she'd known that she'd be returning to Paris with Mireille. It was her . . . home. _But this is too sudden. Two days? I'm beginning to remember things . . . and that will stop if I leave here. But I can't stay. I have to go with Mireille. _She buried her face in her knees in frustration, _it's not that I don't want to go with Mireille; I want to be friends with her . . . but I can't just abandon this place, these people . . . Chloe . . ._

Rather than stumble through any further awkward conversation with Chloe Kirika rose from her bench, taking her leave of the cavernous bath.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** As my step-father would say: There you have it:D Kinda short, I usually try and get 1.6k to 2.2k words, but this one was just a bit over 1k. Blergh. It's a good place to stop for what I'm planning. 

Hey! If any of you are still needing to buy Noir DVDs or if you just need to buy the art box for them because you were el cheapo in the beginning and just bought the normal first DVD, like me, then now's your chance! ADV's having a sale. 18 bucks for the DVD 1 w/ Artbox and Shirt. Thought I'd inform y'all.

As always, review:)


	13. Solutions and Complications

**Author's Notes:** Ehehehe, oh my how long this did take. My interest in anime dwindled and my interest in CSI grew, so naturally I started fics for that, but I'm back, I swear! Haha, anyways, it's been so long since I updated I can't for the life of me remember what my plan for this story was! Hmm . . . I'll go check back on some e-mails, but hopefully I can figure it out, eh? I also just started school and as a result got a new computer, a laptop, so now I can write fics while on the go. Hehe, of course, the keyboard's a bit awkward so please forgive any typos.

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**Lost but not Forgotten - Forgotten but not Lost**  
Chapter 13 - Solutions and Complications

* * *

The following day Kirika's mood did not see improvement. The sky outside the ancient confines of the Manor was dark and filled with threatening, swirling storm clouds. Kirika pulled on her jacket slowly as she looked around the room she'd been assigned what seemed like ages ago. She was never entirely at home in this room yet she couldn't deny that she had felt just a bit more at home in this strange bedroom than in Mireille Bouquet's residence. The ancient and graceful drapings and furnishings gave the room a dark, almost forboding feel that Kirika was surprised to find comforted her somehow. It was preferred, she supposed, to the open and sunlit loft which she had shared with Mireille. The loft she was to return to in a matter of days.

She sullenly trudged down the stairs and into the dining hall where, as per usual, Althena sat awaiting her guests. Chloe was also there, looking nearly as downtrodden as Kirika.

Mireille turned, a hint of a smile on her face, toward Kirika as the girl entered, "Good news, we're going home!"

Kirika's heart sunk a bit as she pulled her chair out and sat down, "That's good."

"I'll say! I can't wait to get out of here," she said, then quickly turned to Althena, though it was obvious she forced her praise, "Not that it hasn't been just lovely staying here."

Responding to the mock praise with a mere nod and slight smile Althena informed Kirika of the situation, "I have discovered where the increased hostility towards Noir has come from. As I had suspected it is from a small radical faction within the Soldats. If the leader of this faction were to meet with some misfortune," Althena glanced to Chloe shortly, "I feel that the organization would crumble," she paused to allow Kirika to respond but as she was met with merely long silence she continued, "As fate would have it the leader of this faction, a Simon Delacroix, is currently very nearby. It should be no trouble to find him within the day," she turned as Chloe sighed audibly, more accusing than questioning, "You disapprove?"

"Of course not," Chloe shook her head a bit defensively, "Never. It's just that . . ." As she trailed off the room fell to silence once more.

After several moments of rather awkward silence Mireille stood up and turned to Kirika, "Kirika, I need to talk to you."

"Oh?" The younger girl seemed drawn out of her thoughts as she stood up, turning to Althena, "Excuse me." She followed Mireille into a study a few rooms away from the dining hall, "Mireille?"

"Kirika," Mirelle wore a uncharacteristically shy smile as she turned back to the Japanese girl following in her wake, "When we get back to Paris . . . there's something we have to talk about."

"But . . . why not here?" Kirika's confusion was apparent.

"It just . . . can't be here," Mireille smiled, shurgging off her odd shyness as she guestured around the dark study they stood in, "I mean, look at this place, it's weird. Can you even imagine why someone would want to live in a place like this? No wonder Chloe's so . . . well, weird. I can't wait till we're back in Paris. They rennovated the apartment, it should be even nicer than it was before the fire. Thank god for insurance, that's all I can say," Mireille's words came in a torrent as if she was trying to flood Kirika's mind with anything but thought of whatever she could have to say when the return to Paris.

Kirika fought to keep herself from informing Mireille that she was rather fond of the decor. There was no real need to risk anything that could cause anymosity between herself and Mireille. Mireille had been acting so strangely lately and in the bit of her mind that was not preoccupied with Chloe and regaining her memory Kirika was worried about her friend. She nodded and took her leave, opting for the solitude of the windswept grounds without the Manor.

The weather had not improved and the smell of rain was in the air. More than a slight breeze rippled it's way forcefully though the sprawling vineyard and Kirika shivered as she aimlessly wandered the ancient grounds. She chewed her lip thoughtfully, balling her fists in her jacket pockets. She knew that this was the place. This was where it would happen; where it would come back to her. As she scanned the estate before her her mind itched at the memories just out of reach. She couldn't leave this place, not with the one thing she desired most so close to her; yet she couldn't bring herself to disappoint Mireille, as she knew any attempt at an explanation would. She didn't entirely understand Mireille, less than ever lately, but felt somehow that Mireille felt responsible for Kirika's well being and Kirika was sure that any disagreement she voiced would hurt Mireille, a friend she did not want to lose.

* * *

Mireille sighed happily as she looked around the room she'd been assigned, making sure she hadn't left any personal items in the room, _Cause God knows I don't plan on coming back! _she smiled wryly, _And I doubt these people would be keen on posting anything back to me. Paris, Paris, Paris! Finally I can go home. What a great excuse to buy all new clothes and things. Perhaps the insurance will pay for it . . . Either way, I know I'll need a nice long vacation after _this_ place. Perhaps Kirika would like to go to one of those spas. Perhaps I could even find a . . . romantic spot to go, _she blushed despite herself and smiled, "What's wrong with you, Mireille," she asked herself aloud, half-laughing, _I don't suppose Kirika'd be very into that, anyways._

Satisfied she'd gathered up all of her small collection of personal effects Mireille half-skipped down the stairs and into the foyer. Not sure exactly what they were going to do to find the man, Simon Delacroix, Mireille set off to find anyone, though admittedly she preferred Kirika to Chloe or Althena, who might be able to fill her in on the day's plan. After a limited time meandering the empty corridors she stumbled upon Althena in a side room writing some letter or other, _Does she ever do anything but write letters?_

The woman looked up as Mireille approached, smiling slightly, almost eerily. Mireille took note of the fact that the woman crossed her hand across the paper she'd been writing on, hiding her work from view, "You're ready to return to Paris?"

"Yes, now where's this guy Delacroix, the sooner this is over the better," Mireille responded pointedly. With the way home so obvious she didn't feel like wasting anymore time talking to Althena, preferring to get this man gone and get gone herself.

"Chloe is preparing, I am fairly sure that Kirika is doing so as well, in her own way," Althena's eyes found the small window looking out on the grounds where a light sprinkle was beginning to fall and the thought that the words somehow held a second meaning occurred to Mireille, but the thought left her as soon as it came, "The time approaches for you to leave here, though perhaps one day you will return."

_Don't hold your breath,_ Mireille bit back a laugh.

* * *

Chloe was thankful for the light rain that patted down on her cloaked shoulders as the marched down the dirt road slightly ahead of Kirika Yuumura and Mireille Bouquet, it served well to hide the oh-so-rare tears that slowly crept down her cheeks. She was not partial to crying, usually able to keep her emotions under lockdown. Today was not such a day as she led the two other assassins away from the Manor, away from the home where Kirika was meant to be. When the job was done and Kirika went back to Paris with the Corsican only God knew when she would return, or even if she would. Althena assured Chloe that Kirika would one day return to the Manor but unless that one day was today this would remain a gloomy day for Chloe.

She looked down to the ground, not sure if it was rain or salty tears that dripped off of the tip of her nose and into the forming mud at her feet. The rain was light but the dirt stuck around the edges of her boots. Her small frame shivered slightly under the heavy green coat and she ran her hand through her hair, wringing out a few droplets of water. She smiled sadistically, not having to look back to know that the Daughter of Corsica was not exactly warm and toasty clad in her usual short skirt and sleeveless shirt. Chloe hoped that Kirika was warm enough, however, knowing that she wasn't as fortunately dressed as herself, _Perhaps I should offer her my cloak . . . _she smiled a bit, _Her cloak. _She turned around and let the girlish smile drop off her face as she looked at a rather miserable looking duo in her wake. She pulled off the heavy coat and held it out to Kirika, who looked up from her feet with a look of mild surprise on her face.

"You look cold," Chloe explained plainly, barely loud enough to be heard over the rain.

Mireille scoffed a bit as Kirika took the cape gently, nodding, "Thank you."

Smiling as Kirika draped it around her shoulders Chloe turned back to the road ahead, shivering moreso than before against the cold. If anything the small black outfit she wore was less protection against the rain than even Mireille Bouquet's skimpy attire. She continued marching through the thickening mud, jerkily walking along as her boots sank into the road every few steps. The rain was coming a fair bit harder and Chloe nearly regretted giving up her cloak. Nearly. She was thankful they were able to get as far as they did before the rain began to fall so heavily upon the trio. From the small town at the end of this road they would rendezvous with a contact who would provide transportation to a significantly large city no more than a days walk, though with the provided transportation it would no doubt cut down the time considerably. Though Chloe was glad for the reduced time in the rain it didn't make it any easier to think that when she returned down this muddy lane she would be alone.

She shook her head slightly, clearing her head and steeling herself for the task which lay ahead. As much as the thought of losing her other half once more bothered her, she would not lose this opportunity to prove that she was the True Noir. She would not fail.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** You have my heartfelt apologies for how freakishly long this update took. I hope that you folks are all still around and interested in reading this story, as I would like to keep my motivation for writing it. Not quite a hostage fic, but I won't deny that my interest is kept more by the readers than the story itself. Afterall, I've played out so many Noir scenarios in my mind there's really no need to put them on paper than for others to enjoy. :P Review if you enjoy it, as I really do care. 


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